XXXVI 
INTRODUCTION. 
much water, but was in every other way 
unsuitable for my purpose ; and the latter 
required much repair before she could be 
sent to sea, but as there was no other 
vessel at Port Jackson, either for sale or 
hire, no choice was left but to prepare the 
Lady Nelson as quickly as possible ; and, 
as it was found absolutely necessary to 
give her a new keel, stern-post, and cut- 
water, besides new decks, with many new 
beams, there was no probability of com- 
pleting her for at least four months. 
Fortunately, however, this arrangement 
was shortly afterwards rendered unneces- 
sary by the arrival, from India, of the 
Mermaid, a cutter of 84 tons burden, 
built of teak, and not quite twelve months 
old: her length was 56 feet; breadth of 
beam 18 feet 6 inches; and did not, when 
deep-laden, draw more than 9 feet ; her bot- 
tom was rather sharper than was convenient 
for the purpose of taking the ground ; but. 
